Say What?

09.10.10

China's Top U.N. Diplomat Slams Americans

Move over, Mel. China’s top U.N. diplomat, Sha Zukang—who serves as the U.N.'s undersecretary general for economic and social affairs—learned a lesson in what not to say to the Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon during a recent retreat at the Austrian ski resort of Alpbach. After reportedly saying, in a drunken rant, “'I know you never liked me Mr. Secretary-General—well, I never liked you, either,” Zukang was “deeply apologetic” the following morning, according to Farhan Haq, a U.N. spokesman. “He said that he had risen to speak the previous evening because he felt that recent criticisms of the secretary-general had been unfair and that he wanted to set the record straight,” Haq said, adding, “coming as it did after he had had a few drinks, [Zukang’s remark] was inappropriate, as it went too far.” Sha also blasted American U.N. official Bob Orr. "I don't really like him," Sha said. "He's an American, and I really don't like Americans."